''Into the Mirror'' () is a 2003 South Korean

supernatural horror film Supernatural horror film is a film genre that combines aspects of supernatural film and horror film. Supernatural occurrences in such films often include ghosts and demons, and many supernatural horror films have elements of religion. Common them ...

about a series of grisly deaths in a department store, all involving mirrors, and the troubled detective who investigates them. It was the debut film of director Kim Sung-ho.

Plot

After accidentally causing the death of his partner during a hostage situation, Wu Young-min quits the police force to work for his uncle as head security of Dreampia, an immense shopping center. Dreampia is currently in the rebuilding stages as a fire destroyed parts of it five years ago. The re-opening was scheduled in a few days, until some strange murders begin to occur in the building. It seems that the victims, all employees of the mall, have committed suicide in very gruesome and unconventional ways. Young-min is very suspicious about the police explanation, and starts his own investigation, but unfortunately for him, an old acquaintance, Ha Hyun-su, is in charge of the police investigation. Hyun-su still blames Young-min for the death of their friend and is not interested in cooperation. The more clues they stumble on, the more strange and unnatural the truth becomes. The film explores the theory of dualism, doppelgangers and the Other through the visual medium of mirrors and reflections.

Cast

* Yoo Ji-tae as Wu Young-min * Kim Hye-na as Lee Ji-hyun *

Kim Myung-min Kim Myung-min (, born October 8, 1972) is a South Korean actor. He is best known for his leading roles in the television series ''Immortal Admiral Yi Sun-sin'' (2004), ''White Tower (TV series), White Tower'' (2007), ''Beethoven Virus'' (2008), ' ...

as Ha Hyun-su

Reception

Derek Elley of ''

Variety Variety may refer to: Arts and entertainment Entertainment formats * Variety (radio) * Variety show, in theater and television Films * ''Variety'' (1925 film), a German silent film directed by Ewald Andre Dupont * ''Variety'' (1935 film), ...

'' described ''Into the Mirror'' as an "Intermittently effective tale of a burned-out ex-cop who's drawn into a series of supernatural murders too often resorts to corny genre moments."

Remake

An American

remake A remake is a film, television series, video game, song or similar form of entertainment that is based upon and retells the story of an earlier production in the same medium—e.g., a "new version of an existing film". A remake tells the same s ...

was produced in 2008, titled ''

Mirrors A mirror, also known as a looking glass, is an object that reflects an image. Light that bounces off a mirror forms an image of whatever is in front of it, which is then focused through the lens of the eye or a camera. Mirrors reverse the ...

''. ''Into the Mirror'' was released on the flip side of the unrated version of the '' Mirrors 2'' DVD.

References

External links

* * 2003 horror films 2000s supernatural horror films Cinema Service films 2000s Korean-language films 2003 films South Korean films remade in other languages South Korean ghost films South Korean supernatural horror films 2000s South Korean films Fiction about mirrors {{2000s-SouthKorea-film-stub